What better way to kick off a summer spent at the shore than with some family-friendly, crowd-pleasing ocean sport competition?

In the water on June 9, the Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard Race & Ocean Festival will feature SUP, paddleboard, ocean swim and dory competitions. While up on the pier deck, live music, hula dancing and a surfing, lifeguard and paddleboard museum will be found. The event will run from 8:30 a.m.- 3 p.m.

The paddleboard competition continues a Santa Monica tradition from the 1940s, when two paddleboard clubs were headquartered on the pier.

Heal the Bay will receive a portion of net proceeds from the event, which will directly benefit our marine education facility, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.